


Stocking

by pyromanicofthesea



Series: A Pridecember Winter Wonderland [11]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Kind of Domestic, M/M, YGOPridecember2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:35:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28211007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pyromanicofthesea/pseuds/pyromanicofthesea
Summary: Kaiba needs to get on the good side of Yugi's grandfather. To do this, he helps stock the Kame Game shop.
Relationships: Kaiba Seto/Yami Yuugi
Series: A Pridecember Winter Wonderland [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2055513
Comments: 3
Kudos: 10





	Stocking

"Thank you again for coming to help out," the Other Yugi said as he handed Kaiba another box of shelving stock.

"It seemed like a good way to get on your grandfather's good side," Kaiba said, taking the box from the Other Yugi and bringing it over to the opened display shelf.

"Yeah, Jii-chan isn't very fond of you."

"I can't imagine why," Kaiba said as he set up the display for the new Monster World figures. "I'm a delight to be around." He grinned to himself when he heard the Other Yugi snort.

"I could think of a few reasons," he heard come from the other side of the shop. He decided not to say anything, but he tossed one of the chunks of packing styrofoam at the Other Yugi. The styrofoam chunk was thrown right back, bouncing off Kaiba's shoulder. He gave the Other Yugi a harmless glare, which the Other Yugi returned before shaking his head and laughing. The Other Yugi's laughter was infectious.

Everything about the Other Yugi was infectious. Some days it infuriated him and some days it put air into his lungs. Most days though, it pulled him in like gravity and refused to let him go. He felt the pull of the Other Yugi's infectious personality as he stared. He knew he stared, but at the same time didn't realize it. There was simply nothing for him to look at except the Other Yugi. The Other Yugi caught him staring and it set his face on fire. He ducked down and pretended to focus on stocking shelves, but his thoughts raced in his head the same as a rat on its wheel.

He knew already he was in too deep. He knew that the first time he lost to the Other Yugi and couldn't stop thinking of him. Now though, now he really felt it in his bones. He was in too deep. He didn't want to get out.

Kaiba was startled from his thoughts as a box was set down beside him. He looked up to see the Other Yugi standing there.

"These also go in this case," he said. He didn't move and Kaiba stood so he wouldn't have to look up at him. They said nothing to each other for a moment before Kaiba broke the silence.

"Was there anything else you needed right now?" He did his best not to sound irritated - because he wasn't - but he knew he likely failed when his voice hit his ears. If it bothered the Other Yugi, he didn't show it.

"No, I just wanted to look at you for a moment," he said and then turned to walk away, leaving Kaiba standing there redder than before.

To avoid confronting the way his mind was stalling, he changed the organization of the display case again. He looked at the box the Other Yugi brought over and opened it. Inside were display figures of different dragons for a game he didn't immediately recognize. Hand painted figures with a noticeably high amount of detail in both the painting and carving. He had half a mind to buy them right then and there for himself. He didn't though, since he could buy better, custom limited figures from his own sources instead of the mass produced figures game shops stocked. Instead of claiming the dragons for himself, Kaiba set up the display figures in an active scene on the middle shelf. He felt the middle shelf would at least maximize how many people saw the figures while mindlessly browsing.

The hours ticked by like that, with the Other Yugi bringing boxes over to Kaiba and Kaiba arranging the instructed shelves while stealing glances at the Other Yugi when he thought he wouldn't get caught. Sometimes he was stealthy enough and free to smile to himself - and only himself - as he went back to work, and other times the Other Yugi caught him redhanded, leaving him flushed and nervous and frozen where he knelt for far longer than he would have liked. He was still like a deer in headlights when footsteps were heard coming down the stairs.

"How's it looking in there?" Sugoroku asked as the door that separated the house from the shop swung open. Kaiba stiffened as the man walked in. He wasn't one to try to impress - regardless of what Yugi's friends accused him of during duels - but he _needed_ Yugi's grandfather to agree to burying the hatchet. He had a large surprise for the Other Yugi, but outside of a tournament, guardian permission was by no means a guarantee.

"We're almost done, Jii-chan," the Other Yugi said, sounding a little too much like Yugi for Kaiba's preference. Had they traded places without him noticing, or was the Other Yugi a secret in Yugi's family?

Sugoroku looked around, inspecting the display cases with a level of scrutiny that made Kaiba nervous. The man clearly knew what he expected of his shop. If he wanted to, he could dissect Kaiba's organization until there was nothing left.

No. No, he would not let this be what shakes him. He dueled with _dragons_ , he was Seto fucking Kaiba, his resolve would not be shaken by an elderly gambler.

Sugoroku's gaze chilled him to the bone. "You like dragons quite a bit, don't you," the man said, not posing the obvious as a question as he looked over the display Kaiba had spent the most time on.

"A healthy respect," Kaiba said with a nod, sparking a full-bellied laugh from Yugi's grandfather.

"Respect, hah! That is yet to be determined," he said as he walked back to the door. "Looks good, boys, keep it up!" The door shut behind him, leaving Kaiba and the Other Yugi alone once more.

"I think he just insulted me to my face," Kaiba muttered as he went back to work.

"He probably did, but he's warming up to you," the Other Yugi said. He put a hand on Kaiba's shoulder and spoke low, just in case listening ears were on the other side of the door, "aibou and I really do appreciate how much you're trying to mend the past."

Kaiba put his hand over the Other Yugi's, flashed him the warm smile that only he was permitted to see, and went back to stocking display cases. The Other Yugi kissed the side of his head before going back to his own section of the store.

It was late in the evening when Kaiba and the Other Yugi finished up in the shop. Each display was stocked and arranged to maximize customer interest, per Kaiba's insistence. He had grown nervous, and thus quiet, by the end of the day, but the Other Yugi didn't take his one-word answers or cold looks to heart. He could read Kaiba almost as well as Kaiba could read him. He knew something was up, but he also knew better than to pry. Just like with Yugi, he knew Kaiba would tell him on his own if something was bad enough to warrant involving him.

Kaiba sat in the living room, awaiting a cup of tea per the insistence of Yugi's mother. Yugi - actually Yugi, not the spirit within the Puzzle - was with her in the kitchen, likely describing exactly how Kaiba preferred his tea. She was hospitable at least. Far more so than the cold appraisal he received from Yugi's grandfather. Perhaps then, he could turn to her if Sugoroku had objections. Then again, perhaps he couldn't. He didn't know the family dynamic of Yugi's household well enough to tell as of yet.

"Mr. Mutou, I wanted to ask-"

"Oh-ho here it comes! I've been waiting for the favor request all day," Sugoroku said as he leaned forward in his chair. He looked up at Kaiba with the same confidence and defiance Yugi - and the Other Yugi - did in duels. "You're not subtle, Seto Kaiba."

"Be that as it may, I'm planning an expedition overseas and would like to ask to bring Yugi with m-"

"Oh, is it a fishing trip?" Both heads turned to see Yugi's mother walk in, carrying two mugs with Yugi walking in just behind her. "That sounds delightful. I remember going fishing as a little girl. I always had so much fun."

"I don't know about that," Sugoroku said, visibly ready to reject Kaiba's request before he could even hear the full details.

"Yes well, it's not really-" Kaiba's voice died off as he saw the look Yugi was giving him. The look of 'shut up and go with it'. Kaiba cleared his throat. "Yes well, it would be a long trip of several weeks, so I wanted to make sure it would not be interfering with any plans over the upcoming summer vacation."

"I haven't planned anything yet," Yugi's mother said as she handed Kaiba a mug of tea. She handed the other one to Sugoroku. "Yugi, you should go if you don't have any tournaments planned. I'm sure your friends would like to go as well. The more the merrier, as they say!"

Yugi and Kaiba shared a look before Yugi said, "I'll have to ask them, but Anzu is going to America to tour colleges this summer, and Honda is working for Otogi, and Jounouchi is trying to get into an international tournament soon. They might be busy."

"Hey wait, why didn't Honda apply here?" Sugoroku asked, setting down his tea and giving Yugi a look. Just like that, Kaiba's request was forgotten and free from any further scrutiny.

"He did. You said he was under-qualified," Yugi said, giving his grandfather the same look.

Kaiba couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at that as Sugoroku shrank into his chair. He sipped his tea to find it exactly to his liking. He gave a nod to Yugi's mother, who smiled back, and he took another sip. Perhaps mending past wrongdoings was easier than he thought.

**Author's Note:**

> Did Yugi know all along, or did he and Yami Yugi just really want to see what sort of trip could be so big Kaiba tried to mend rifts with grandpa? The world may never know (or it may be mentioned in the sequel, which will be Silver)
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
